The human eye in its simplest terms functions to provide vision by transmitting and refracting light through a clear outer portion called the cornea, and further focusing the image by way of the lens onto the retina at the back of the eye. The quality of the focused image depends on many factors including the size, shape and length of the eye, and the shape and transparency of the cornea and lens.
When trauma, age or disease cause the lens to become less transparent, vision deteriorates because of the diminished light which can be transmitted to the retina. This deficiency in the lens of the eye is medically known as a cataract. The treatment for this condition is surgical removal of the lens and implantation of an artificial lens or IOL.
While early IOLs were made from hard plastic, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), soft, foldable IOLs made from silicone, soft acrylics and hydrogels have become increasingly popular because of the ability to fold or roll these soft lenses and insert them through a smaller incision. Several methods of rolling or folding the lenses are used. One popular method is an injector cartridge that folds the lenses and provides a relatively small diameter lumen through which the lens may be pushed into the eye, usually by a soft tip plunger. The most commonly used injector cartridge design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102 (Bartell), and includes a split, longitudinally hinged cartridge. Similar designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,484 and 5,499,987 (Feingold) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,616,148 and 5,620,450 (Eagles, et al.). In an attempt to avoid the claims of U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102, several solid cartridges have been investigated, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,604 (Rheinish, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,715 (Reich, et al.).
These devices all require that the lens be shipped separately from the cartridge. This requires that the lens be removed from its shipping container and placed in the cartridge prior to use. This requires additional handling of the lens, with the resulting potential for damage to the lens. One prior art device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,708 B1 (Green), the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference, discloses a lens delivery system that is also suitable for use as a lens shipment container. As shown in FIGS. 6A–6C of this patent, the disclosed device does not fold the lens, but rather compresses or crushes the lens. Such a device works with robust, rubbery, elastic lens materials, but such a design is less than optimal when used with a viscoelastic material, such as a soft acrylic. Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a lens delivery system suitable for use with a lens made from a viscoelastic material and in which the lens can be shipped.